TEENAGE SERIES- Let D Cat Out!

Seyi
felt so bad and she had no idea why, she had not slept a wink last night and
her eyes were suddenly heavy. There was a knock at the door and her mother
walked into the room looking tired, Sandra’s departure from their home had taken a
huge toll on her. Sandra checked the time and saw that it was almost noon, she
groaned inwardly.

“It’s
Saturday, do you have any plans?” Her mother asked, sitting on the bed.

“No…I’ll
just stay home and read my books and maybe watch a few movies.”

“That
sounds nice…” Her mother trailed off.

“You
don’t have to pretend mom, this is not you. The mother I know will never try to
sit with me to discuss personal matters and stuff…”

“I
want to make up for that…”

“Isn’t it too late already?”

“I
guess I realized, when I thought Sandra was pregnant, that I wasn’t paying
proper attention to my girls and now, even after she has left, it’s as though I
never gave her enough. I didn’t pay her proper attention and I was guilty of
that with you as well.”

“You
did your best mommy, Sandra left because she wanted to.” Seyi said.

“But
why didn’t she tell me? Why did she have to tell your father?”

Seyi
pondered on her mom’s words and asked herself, if her father had something
to hide. Chika’s innuendos might be making sense after all she thought.’

“Just
let me know if you change your mind on what you have lined up for yourself
today, I am free so…we could hang out, and have some mother daughter time.”

“Sure
mom, I’ll let you know.” Seyi said offhandedly.

Seyi’s
mom nodded and left the room, Seyi watched her leave, as soon as the door was
shut, she hurried up from the bed and ran to take a shower, she had somewhere
to go.

******

Chika
was still recuperating from the scare at Felix’s house, she tapped her foot in
anger, ‘how dare her father’s new wife take all she had away from her?’ she
stood at the balcony and watched the car pull into the compound and her step
mom alight from the car while the driver hurried to park, she couldn’t wait to
get the confrontation over and done with.

“Chika…you
are back early.” Her step mom said glancing at her watch. Her hair was neatly
coiffed and she smelt like hair spray, exactly the same kind Chika sniffed from
her mom’s hair anytime she returned from the salon.

“This
is the last time you’d ever take my car, if you need a car, tell my dad to get
you a new one. Do you know what I went through today? If the driver had taken
me to the library, I wouldn’t have had to walk back and I definitely wouldn’t have
encountered my crazy school mate and his insane aunt.”

“Who
do you think you’re talking to? A child?” Her step mom barked.

“Stay
away from my car…”

“Or
what?”

“Or
you’ll find yourself back to that secretary hole you where buried before my
father fished you out and married you.”

“Excuse
me? How dare you insult me?”

“I
don’t recall insulting you, I just told you to stay away from my car!”

“Am
I your mate? Chika, do you think I’m a child?”

Chika
rolled her eyes and placing her hands on her hips, she thundered. “Can you not
get the message? What do you expect from me? That I kiss your cheeks whenever
you return from your waka waka with my car and tell you that you’re the best
step mom anyone could wish for? Sorry dear, you came in at a time when my father
has grown children, teenagers to be precise and from what I’ve read teenagers
are one of the most difficult set of people to handle.”

“I
am not taking this from you, I am calling your father this instant to instill
some sort of discipline into you.” Her step mom said and stormed into the
house.

Chika
hissed and turned when she heard the gate to her house open, she was shocked to
see Seyi walk into her compound, still ready for spit-fire, she stared at Seyi
menacingly.

“What
do you want?”
“I’d like to know the truth…why did my father whisk Sandra off to my aunt’s
house?”

“I think you’re in a better position to tell me that…sorry, can you please leave now?”

“Please,
I need to know…” Seyi pleaded.

“All
I know is, your father isn’t who people think he is, I hope he didn’t win a
seat in this election because he’s evil.”

“He
lost…” Seyi replied solemnly. “For the friendship we once shared, could you
please tell me the truth? I love my dad so much and I want to know why you speak
hatefully of him.”

“I
lost Sandra’s friendship because of you…I mean…I would have gone to properly
apologize to her but your family whisked her away.” Chika said solemnly.

“I
know I handled it wrongly and I want to make up for it.” Seyi said.

Chika
looked at the girl she had known for almost four years and sighed, she knew
Seyi was too spoilt for her own good. Not that she wasn’t pampered herself but Seyi was overindulged especially by her father.

“Immediately
I told my dad about Sandra’s pregnancy, he started acting strange and before I knew
it he had whisked her away and said that she had begged him to. Sandra has
always been close to my mom so I found that revelation disturbing. Why would
she confide in my dad of all people? Something wasn’t right.” Seyi said.

“Sandra
is pregnant for your father…” Chika blurted.

“Excuse
me?” Seyi stammered.

“He
raped her, on more than two occasions…” Chika supplied.

“Oh
my God…” Seyi broke down in tears and fell to the ground in distress.

Chika
went to her and hugged her.

“Raped?
By my father? To think…that I made life miserable for her…oh my God! How could
my father do such a thing…it’s punishable by law.” Seyi cried.

“Yes
it is…I know it is hard to ask but can you help bring your father to justice?
You are closer to him, perhaps you can…” Chika said, her voice softening instantly.

“What?
Bring my dad to book? But he’s no criminal…”

“He
molested a girl against her will and she was a minor too…”

“I
know but…” Seyi protested.

“Now
you know the truth, I won’t force you to do what you don’t want to do but I
hope your conscience pricks you till you bring your father to book.”

Seyi
freed herself from Chika’s embrace and said, “I know that what my dad did was
wrong, very wrong. He was even angry when he found out about Justin and he made
sure he …tortured his uncle for blackmailing me with my naked pictures but…I
can’t do that to him. What of my future? What of my mom? My family? The press
will take it up…my family will be ruined. I might have to give up my perfect
life and live a life of a hermit. Do you understand me Chika? His downfall will
affect me too…” Seyi cried.

“Then
let it! You will be a mother tomorrow, how will you feel if your daughter was raped?
Sandra is not different from you and I, she has equal rights as we do. I urge
you to ask your father of Sandra’s whereabouts and return her home so that we
can work together towards justice.”

“I
can’t believe you are saying this to me…he is my father.”

“And
a rapist!”

“It’s
not his fault.”

“Whose
fault was it? Sandra’s? C’mon, use your brain.”

“I
have to leave…I’ll see you in school on Monday…that’s if I’m able to come.
Please Chika keep this a secret, for my sake. I am one of the most popular
girls in school and this could tarnish my image for good.”

“Is that all you can think of? Your image? Wow…” Chika said and shook her head.

Image Source: Ynaija.com

Seyi stood up from the ground and turned to leave, Chika watched her retreating back. She too had not bargained for this either.
She had started the term like everyone only to end the term in such
circumstance. School had closed for the term on Friday to resume in two weeks,
and she hoped with all her heart that by then, Sandra would have returned.

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ABOUT ME

Adaeze Ibechukwu is a writer and Storyteller . She's been writing since she was child and has published two children’s short stories at the age of nine. She was the 2015 Story Series Writer of the year at the Nigerian Awards and also named one of the most influential writers under 40, by the platform. She has also written scripts for movies and stage plays.

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